In most cases, teams selecting high in the first-round order at an NBA draft are doing so because they had strong lottery odds following a dreadful season. But that’s not the case with the Houston Rockets in 2024, whose No. 3 overall pick is from the Brooklyn Nets.
With that in mind, and an established young core in place, the Rockets (41-41) may use different criteria than more desperate teams.
In his latest episode of The Woj Pod, ESPN league insider Adrian Wojnarowski says of the Rockets:
Houston, at [pick] three… they have, I think, way more pieces in place than Atlanta and Washington have. In Houston, you could make a case that you might look positionally, a little more.
Atlanta and Washington are now at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.
At 15-67, the Wizards had the NBA’s second-worst record. Given that, they seem likely to take who they view as the best prospect available, regardless of position — since it’s not as if many current players are likely part of their longer-term blueprint, anyway.
The Hawks (36-46) could be a slightly different case, since they’re much closer in wins to the Rockets than the Wizards. However, with veteran guards Trae Young and Dejounte Murray in trade rumors for months, Atlanta might soon be headed into its own rebuild.
In that case, Atlanta would also likely select whichever prospect it views as having the most long-term upside. Because the pieces around that player are likely to change in any rebuilding scenario, it probably is not be worth weighting them heavily in draft decisions.
But in Houston, if general manager Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka are convinced of certain players on the current roster sticking around long-term, it could make sense to consider that as part of the calculus. Another option may be to potentially trade the No. 3 selection as part of a deal for a veteran player who clearly addresses a need with the current team as it looks to make a 2025 playoff push.
Wojnarowski’s complete podcast can be listened to below.
